28

November

Scotland’s first 7T scanner arrives at the QEUH

The University of Glasgow, in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, has taken delivery of Scotland’s first ultra-powerful 17.5 tonne 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner at the new Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) on the site of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).

The new ultra-high resolution scanner – one of the world’s most powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines – is also the first scanner of its kind in the UK to be located in a clinical setting. It will be situated on the grounds of Glasgow’s new super hospital, the QEUH.

The £10 million 7T MRI scanner will be used to advance critical clinical research and will allow scientists and clinicians to study the human body in greater resolution than ever before, ultimately benefitting patients.

The 7T MRI scanner will offer researchers the opportunity to learn more about a host of health conditions, initially focusing on brain imaging to look at conditions such as small blood vessel disease of the brain, stroke, vascular dementia, brain tumours, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s Disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

The scanner will be housed in the University’s state of the art £32 million ICE, which was made possible by £16 million of funding by the UK Government and the Medical Research Council (MRC) via the Glasgow City Region City Deal, with further funding from other sources including the European Regional Development Funding, The Sackler Trust and the Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation.

The 7T scanner will be located on the ground level of ICE, which will also include extensive accommodation for research and development and an extension to the University’s Clinical Innovation Zone, providing an entire floor for industry collaboration and partnership. Over a ten year period the development is predicted to create around 400 jobs and £85 million for the Scottish economy.

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow said: “The new 7 Tesla scanner is very important for the University of Glasgow, the city of Glasgow, Scotland and the UK.

“The scanner is an important ‘first’ for Scotland, which wouldn’t have been possible without £2.3 million of European Union funding. The ability to form collaborations across Europe, and also bring skilled staff over from the EU to work on such advanced technology, will be a key part of the long-term success of the project.

“By locating the scanner at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, we are bringing advanced precision medicine technology closer to patients, making it arguably the most advanced imaging capability of its kind in the world for patient benefit.”

The 7T MRI scanner will be the centrepiece of the ICE building, which will become a cutting-edge centre for the advancement of precision medicine when it opens next year. The building will provide world-leading clinical research facilities and provide a hub for academic, scientific and NHS clinical expertise.